Republican Senator Thom Tillis publicly called on President Trump to replace Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing "inept management" and high-level staff turnover.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing mounting pressure over his leadership of the Pentagon, with a Republican senator now calling on President Donald Trump to replace him.
Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican and former member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, publicly urged Trump to find a new Pentagon chief following the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
“I urge the President to find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it,” Tillis said in a post on X Wednesday.
Tillis praised Driscoll as “the right man at the right moment” and said he had helped lead efforts to modernize the Army, particularly as warfare evolves in places including Ukraine and Iran. But he sharply criticized Hegseth, saying the Defense Secretary was “creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”
“I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country,” Tillis said, accusing Hegseth of being “intimidated by competence” and of focusing on culture-war issues rather than national defense.
Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska agreed with Tillis. Speaking with CNN on Wednesday night, Bacon said in part, "I agree with the sentiments of Senator Tillis. I hate to tell the president who he should hire and fire…he would not be on my team. I think he has not been a very good leader in many ways."
Bacon added that he thought Hegseth was "trouble from the beginning."
Tillis' call puts pressure on Hegseth from within the Republican Party at a moment when the Pentagon is already dealing with substantial senior leadership turnover.
Hegseth Faces Growing Criticism
Democrats have been calling for Hegseth's removal for months, but the criticism has now expanded to Republicans who have questioned his management of the Pentagon.
“I’m tired of all the churn,” Republican Representative Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told reporters on Tuesday. “I want to see some stability over there.”
“The Army secretary’s gone. The chief of staff’s gone. The person being nominated for the position is interim, and we don’t know if he’s gonna be confirmed,” Rogers told MS NOW.
Republican Representative Dusty Johnson agreed, adding that he felt there had been too much turnover with the senior officers. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Mike Rounds told reporters that they'd lost some "very good generals" that were widely respected.
He added that he'd heard Driscoll “was frustrated with some of his top generals being released.”
Several Democratic lawmakers have also called explicitly for Hegseth to be impeached. Representative Adelita Grijalva said it was “past time” to impeach Hegseth, while Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove said it was time to impeach him “every day of the week.”
Representative Becca Balint similarly said it was “long past time.”
Those comments come after House Democrats launched a formal impeachment effort against Hegseth earlier this year.
On April 15, 2026, Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Democrat of Arizona, introduced H.Res. 1177, titled “Impeaching Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.” The resolution was co-sponsored by 13 other House Democrats and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, where it remains.
The resolution contains six articles of impeachment. Among the allegations are that Hegseth engaged in an unauthorized war against Iran and recklessly endangered U.S. service members; violated the law of armed conflict; negligently handled sensitive military information; obstructed congressional oversight; abused his power and politicized the armed forces; and engaged in conduct bringing disrepute upon the military.
The introduction of H.Res. 1177 does not mean Hegseth has been impeached or is facing imminent removal. It is an impeachment resolution that would need to advance through the House before the Senate could hold a trial.
The Democratic demands therefore face a fundamental political obstacle: impeachment does not automatically remove a Cabinet secretary. The House must approve articles of impeachment, and a conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds vote.
For Hegseth, the development that could prove more politically consequential may instead be the emergence of criticism from within Trump's own party.
What Are The Odds Hegseth Leaves?
Prediction markets are currently pricing in a relatively low probability that Hegseth will leave in the immediate future, but the odds increase significantly as the year progresses.
Kalshi's current market puts the chance of Hegseth being out as Defense Secretary at about 9 percent before October 1, and 19 percent before November 1. That rose to just over 30 percent before December 1.
Earlier this year, Kalshi reported that traders had put the probability of Hegseth leaving the Trump administration during 2026 as high as 42 percent amid other controversies, although those odds subsequently moved.
Why Did Top Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resign?
Driscoll said Wednesday would be his last full day as Army secretary, but he did not publicly provide a detailed explanation for his departure. His exit comes after months of significant turnover among senior military leaders.
FILE - Army Secretary Dan Driscoll speaks at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., during the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summi...Read More
The circumstances have prompted speculation about whether disagreements with Hegseth played a role. But the White House and Pentagon have continued to portray the administration's personnel changes as part of its effort to reshape the military and ensure that senior leaders share its priorities.
Critics, including from within the GOP, argue that the scale of the turnover risks eliminating institutional knowledge at a time when the United States is facing significant military challenges.
What to Know About Pete Hegseth and Dan Driscoll's Tense Relationship
The relationship between Hegseth and Driscoll had become increasingly strained in recent months, with disagreements reportedly centered on military leadership, Army modernization and the removal or promotion of senior officers.
One major flashpoint was Hegseth’s decision in April to remove Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, a close ally of Driscoll. Hegseth did not publicly give a reason for George’s departure. Driscoll later made clear that he respected George and his work. During congressional testimony, Driscoll said: “There is no person that has more respect for Gen. George and his 42 years of service. He was an amazing, transformational leader.”
Driscoll also reportedly objected to Hegseth’s handling of the Army’s transformation plans, which placed greater emphasis on drones, unmanned systems and faster weapons acquisition. A source familiar with the matter told CBS News that Driscoll had raised concerns with the Trump administration about Hegseth pushing out generals who were responsible for those transformation efforts.
The personnel disputes went beyond George. Reporting has said Hegseth blocked or questioned the promotions of several senior Army officers who had the support of Driscoll. Reuters reported that Driscoll was concerned about Hegseth’s interference with Army transformation and readiness, specifically citing the firing of generals involved in the effort. One source characterized the impact as “generational damage” to the Army.
There were also tensions over the role Driscoll himself was playing inside the administration. According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, Hegseth became angry early in the Trump administration when Driscoll proposed arranging a visit involving Vice President JD Vance and Army personnel. Hegseth reportedly told Driscoll to “stay in his lane," Forbes reported.
The relationship appeared to deteriorate further as more senior military leaders left their positions. Hegseth had fired or pushed out several high-ranking officers, while Driscoll had worked closely with some of those leaders on modernization efforts.
Despite the reported friction, Driscoll did not publicly attack Hegseth. After announcing his resignation, he thanked the defense secretary for his support. The White House also praised Driscoll, saying he had been effective in advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda and restoring an emphasis on “readiness and lethality.”
What to Know About Pete Hegseth's Purge of Top Military Generals
Hegseth has overseen a sweeping reshaping of the Pentagon's senior leadership since becoming Defense Secretary. As of September 2, at least 20 generals, admirals and civilian defense leaders have been fired or departed since Hegseth became defense secretary.
Among the most consequential moves have been the removal or departure of senior generals and other top military officials.
Some of the most major dismissals include:
1. Charles Q. Brown Jr. — Joint Chiefs chairman
Probably the most consequential initial dismissal. Trump abruptly removed Brown in February 2025, roughly 16 months into his four-year term. Brown was only the second Black officer to serve as chairman. Hegseth said Brown was an honorable officer but “not the right man for the moment.”
2. Lisa Franchetti — Navy chief
Her removal was historic because she was the first woman to serve on the Joint Chiefs and the first woman to become chief of naval operations. She was among the senior officers Hegseth announced would be removed in February 2025.
3. David Allvin — Air Force chief
Allvin announced his retirement in 2025, well before completing his four-year term.
4. Randy George — Army chief
This is particularly significant because George was the Army's highest-ranking officer and was asked to retire in April 2026 — during the Iran war.
5. Christopher Donahue — Army Europe/Africa commander
A highly decorated combat commander who had commanded Delta Force and played a major role in operations against ISIS. His departure came after Hegseth blocked efforts to extend his career, the Washington Post reported.
Supporters of Hegseth argue that a new administration has the right to replace senior leaders who do not share its priorities and that the military needs to adapt rapidly to new forms of warfare. Critics see the scale of the changes differently, arguing that repeatedly removing experienced commanders can damage morale, disrupt succession planning and deprive the Pentagon of institutional expertise.
With the United States engaged in military operations and lawmakers increasingly focused on military readiness and modernization, further departures or operational problems could intensify that pressure.
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For now, however, the odds remain tilted toward Hegseth staying in the job.
The question is whether Tillis's intervention is an isolated Republican rebuke—or the beginning of a broader break within Trump's party over the man running the Pentagon.
